


Yin and Yang

by Talking_Bird



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Canon Continuation, F/M, Identity Reveal, Season/Series 01-02 Hiatus
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-03-23
Updated: 2016-03-28
Packaged: 2018-05-28 13:48:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,434
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6331591
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Talking_Bird/pseuds/Talking_Bird
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ladybug and Chat Noir are as different day and night. Marinette and Adrien are like land and sea. Opposites, but complimentary. A perfect fit. </p><p>It seems that they can't keep their identities secret for much longer. For better or for worse, everything will change.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Master Fu

**Yin and Yang**

**Chapter 1**

 

It was a warm April afternoon when Ladybug, the heroine of Paris, was seen leisurely leaping from building to building. Well, the citizens _thought_ it was leisurely, since there was no Akuma villain in sight, nor was her faithful companion, Chat Noir, any where to be seen. Despite the lack of danger, Ladybug had a very serious matter to attend to.

 

She had recently found an ancient book of great importance. She didn’t quite understand it herself, but she knew whatever information lay hidden in its pages was crucial to the secrets of the Miraculouses.

 

As she continued to swing herself between the chimneys and high roofs of Paris, she sighed. Ladybug had only obtained the book because she stole it from Adrien Agreste, the boy she had a dizzying crush on. Well, _Lila_ stole it, then threw it in a trash can, but Ladybug was the one who scavenged it. The point was, she hadn’t given it back to him and that made her as good as a thief. She reminded herself that her mission was more important than Adrien fretting about a lost book. This was about keeping Paris safe. At least, that’s what Tikki said and Ladybug was inclined to trust Tikki no matter what.

 

Ladybug stopped on a nearby roof and then looked down at the GPS on her yo-yo. Tikki had marked a blinking red dot on the map near the south end of Paris. The destination was just a few swings away now. She lunged forward and let her yo-yo wrap around another chimney. In a matter of seconds, she landed in front of an old building. It looked like an abandoned apartment building, but Ladybug sensed a strange energy coming from it. She scanned the building for an entrance and found a broken window on the north wall she good jump through. She used her yo-yo to knock down the remaining shards of broken glass and then jumped in.

 

The inside was just as wrecked as the outside. Ladybug assumed she was in an old hotel now that she got a proper look inside. There were rusted bellhops and a dusty front counter that had stacks of molted, forgotten books behind it. Ladybug wondered if they were guest logs. The room, the lobby most likely, was probably really grand once. There was evidence that huge chandeliers decorated the ceiling and the floor was covered by a moth-eaten carpet that was surely lush in its first life time. It seemed like the hotel had a Chinese theme as there were accents scattered around the room that reminded her of her mother’s own knick knacks and charms. There were once-gold lions and punctured lanterns with Chinese characters on them. There was furniture every where, but they were covered by greying sheets with moth holes in them and the entire interior seemed to have a thick coat of dust over it. Streaks of sunlight came in through boarded up windows and from certain angles, Ladybug saw dust particles gently drifting in and out of the beams of light.

 

It was an eerie place and she wouldn’t have been surprised if it was haunted, but she also felt an odd, calm feeling. Time seemed to stop here. It was quiet. Peaceful.

 

After taking another look around the old room, Ladybug released her transformation and became Marinette once again.

 

“ _Ah-choo!_ ”

 

“Tikki?” Marinette asked and her little Kwami flew over to cuddle her cheek.

 

“Marinette, there’s so much dust” Tikki said, wiping a paw across her nose.

 

“This is where the Great Guardian lives?” Marinette asked.

 

“Yes! I can feel his presence. I sure hope his room is cleaner than this though” Tikki said with a giggle. She flew in front of Marinette and beckoned her to follow. Marinette obeyed and was led to a grand staircase that started wide at the bottom and narrowed at the top. It angled in a spiral shape and Marinette marveled at what a beautiful hotel it must have been before.

 

Marinette followed Tikki down a hall way that looked like it was brand new with expensive wallpaper and lights lining the walls. Tikki stopped in front of a door on the right.

 

“This is it” she said and Marinette felt her stomach drop. She’d never met someone tied to the Miraculous before. Well, she knew Chat Noir, but she only knew his Miraculous-self. It was different meeting someone as Ladybug, but _as_ Marinette. She’d been fighting supervillains for about a year now, but now she was shaking over introducing herself. She shook her head. She was being ridiculous. She took a deep breath and opened the door.

 

An elder Chinese man sat on a futon in front of her. He looked up and smiled.

 

“Hello, Ladybug” he said with a glint in his eyes. Marinette felt herself relax. So he already knew, huh? Well, that made things a little easier. Marinette came into his small room and closed the door behind her.

 

“Monsieur, we’ve met before haven’t we? You healed Tikki that one time” she said. She looked around the room and recognized it from when she brought her in, but she had never entered through an abandoned hotel.

 

“Yes, there’s a more formal entrance on the other side. You went up a flight of stairs and landed right in this hallway before. I prefer the long route myself” He said, reading Marinette’s mind. She stared at him with wide eyes. Who was this man?

 

“Monsieur, Tikki said that you knew how to decode this book. Is that true?” she asked, holding out the ancient book she had _borrowed_ from Adrien. The old man’s eyes grew wide as they found the book. He looked at Marinette to Tikki.

 

“Tikki, where did you find this?” He asked and gesturing to the book. Marinette gave it to him and he stared at it like it might disappear at any moment.

 

Tikki and Marinette relayed the whole story to him. How a model named Adrien Agreste had been holding it, how Lila, or Volpina, took it, and how they took it back from her. The old man listened while stroking his beard, absorbing every word with careful consideration.

 

“Do you know how this Adrien Agreste came to be in possession of the book?” he asked.

 

“No. He just had it one day at school. I’ve never seen him with it before” Marinette said.

 

“Would you have noticed?” the man asked. Marinette felt herself blush and look away, because of course the answer was “yes”. The man chuckled.

 

“No matter. We have it now, and it is in the right hands” he said as he slid his fingers over the symbols on the front cover.

 

“Monsieur, please, but who are you?” Marinette asked. The old man chuckled again.

 

“Some call me the ‘Great Guardian’, others call me ‘Master Fu’, but you, my little Ladybug, can call me ‘Grandpa’” he said with a laugh. Marinette gave a polite smile, but took note that he certainly was an eccentric old man.

 

“Grandpa, what can you tell me about the book? The miraculous?! Do you know how to stop Le Papillion?!” Marinette said, quickly getting herself into a tizzy.

 

“All in good time, Ladybug, but first I think we better wait for your partner to get here. Shouldn’t be much longer…” the old man said.

 

“Huh?! Chat Noir’s coming here?! He’ll know who I am!” Marinette said, panic setting in.

 

“Oh, you still don’t know who he is?” The old man asked with a giggle. Marinette paid him no mind as she looked to Tikki.

 

“Tikki, transform me!” Marinette said and Tikki did as asked. Marinette felt her clothes disintegrate and then regenerate as her Ladybug suit. It felt wrong to transform in front of someone else, but she had to keep her identity secret from Chat Noir.   

 

“Ah, there are few sites as lovely as the Ladybug transformation” mused the old man. Not a second later, there was a knock on the door.   

 

“Chat Noir!” Ladybug gasped.

 

“Come in!” The old man said and the door quickly creaked open. Sure enough, Chat Noir came sauntering in. His eyes landed on the old man, but then scanned the room. When his eyes landed on Ladybug the widened.

 

“Ladybug?!” he asked.

 

“Hello, _minou_ ” she said with a smile.

 

“What are you doing here?” he asked.

 

“I could ask you the same thing” she said.

 

“Well, er, some business about a book,” as he said it, his eyes landed on the book in question, “Wha! Where did you get that?!”

 

“Ladybug found it” The old man said with a warm smile.

 

“Ah, my Lady, you always come through” he said in his signature flirtatious tone. Ladybug felt a twinge of guilt. She didn’t feel very noble stealing her friend’s book, even if it was for the greater good.

 

“Don’t worry about it, Chat Noir” she said, looking down. Chat Noir found her eyes and gave her a kind smile. She returned it and felt her mood lighten slightly.

 

“So, my Lady, who’s your friend?” he asked.

 

“I don’t know myself…” she said as they both looked at the old man.

 

“Ah, I guess I can’t keep myself a secret much longer. Ladybug, Chat Noir? I am the Great Guardian. I keep and protect all Miraculouses, and I am the one who gave you yours” He said lightly.

 

Ladybug felt her stomach bottom out and she didn’t have to look at Chat Noir to know he was feeling the same. Ladybug unconsciously put a hand to her ear.  

 

“You…brought Tikki to me?” she asked, a rush of emotion coming over her. The man nodded.

 

“So, it’s all thanks to you?” Chat Noir asked. Ladybug looked at him and felt her chest tighten as she watched a single tear roll down his cheek. Before she realized what was happening, Chat Noir had crossed the room and wrapped his arms around the Great Guardian. At first, the man was surprised, but his face quickly melted into a sentimental smile as he returned the hug.

 

“Thank you…so much” Chat Noir said and Ladybug felt her eyes sting with threatening tears. She couldn’t help but smile.

 

“There, there my boy. It’s all to your own credit. You both had to pass my test” the man said and Chat Noir released him. He wiped his eyes and smiled.

 

“Monsieur, Plagg was telling me you know the secret to that book and I assume you know a great deal about the Miraculous. Would you please tell us what you know?” Chat Noir asked. The man sighed.

 

“Yes, yes of course. Please, sit. I’ll get us tea”

 

* * *

 

Master Fu explained that he had been guarding the Miraculouses for over 170 years and that he was the one who decided who was deserving enough to hold them. There were a total of seven Miraculous (“That I know of”), but the Ladybug earrings and Chat Noir ring were the most powerful. He had chosen them because they both had strong hearts.

 

Chat Noir smiled at Ladybug when heard this.

 

“See, my Lady? We’re _purr_ -fect for each other” he said and Ladybug groaned.

 

“Master Fu, what about the other five Miraculous?” she asked, changing the subject. At this, Master Fu seemed to have a dark cloud come over him.

 

“Turtle, Peacock, Bee, Fox, and the Butterfly. I am the Turtle and Wayzz is my Kwami. I am not much of a fighter, but my Miraculous gives me the gift of long life and intuition,” Wayzz, who had stayed fairly silent up until this point appeared and made the two teens gasp, “I have the Bee and the Fox with me, but I have yet to find suitable hosts for them. The Peacock…she-she made a noble sacrifice, but I fear her Miraculous fell into the wrong hands. Then, the Butterfly, _Le Papillion_ …”

 

Ladybug gasped. Le Papillion was a Miraculous?

 

“But Master Fu! I thought that the Miraculous were to be used for good! Le Papillion is evil” Chat Noir said. Master Fu looked at the ground and then at Chat Noir. He shook his head.

 

“Ah, Chat Noir, yes, in a perfect world, yes, but I made a terrible mistake. I gave the Miraculous to the wrong person, and now he terrorizes Paris with his powers”

 

“Well, who is he?! You must know if you gave him the Miraculous! If we know who he is, we can defeat him. You said yourself we’re the strongest of the Miraculous” Chat Noir said passionately. Master Fu looked as if his heart might break.

 

“I can’t tell you. Not now” Master Fu said. The ears on Chat Noir’s head drooped.

 

“But why?” he asked.

 

“I’m afraid, if I tell you, one of you will become known to the other. Le Papillion is someone that one of you is close to. Once I tell you, your partner won’t take long in figuring out who you are” Master Fu said.

 

Ladybug and Chat Noir looked at each other. One of them was intimately connected to Le Papillion, but who? Ladybug quickly ran through her loved ones and none of them seemed likely to be Le Papillion, but maybe she was wrong. A shiver went through her.

 

“What do we do?” she asked.

 

“He must be stopped, that much is certain, but I am aware that you have kept your identities secret from each other for safety purposes. Tikki and Flagg probably cautioned you against telling each other, which I normally fully support, but in this instance…I think you may want to decide to reveal yourselves to each other. You’ll need each other. It gets much harder from here-on-out, I’m sorry to say”

 

“We-we have to reveal our identities?” Ladybug asked as she felt a lump form in her throat.

 

“Not right now, if you don’t want to, but I’m sorry to say that your knowing each other eventually is inevitable at this point” Master Fu said, his head hung low.

 

Ladybug found herself looking at Chat Noir again and he returned her gaze. Reveal her identity? To Chat Noir? She promised herself that she’d keep it secret, but that was starting to look like a promise she couldn’t keep. Chat Noir looked like he was having his own internal struggle, when his face suddenly broke into a grin.

 

“Well, my Lady, it seems that soon, the cat will be out of the bag”


	2. Me, Myself, and I

**Yin and Yang**

**Chapter 2**

Chat Noir followed Ladybug down the creaky staircase that led to the abandoned hotel lobby. His head was swimming with the events of the day: There were five other Miraculouses? Le Papillion was one of them? Le Papillion was close to either Ladybug or himself? Adrien had a sinking feeling it was someone _he_ was close to. His eyes studied the back of Ladybug’s head.

 

He always really liked her hair. It was always up in manageable pigtails, but it looked shiny and soft. He liked the color too. At first it seemed black, but when you looked carefully, it was more like a very dark blue, like the night sky. He felt his stomach somersault.

 

It was happening. They were going to _finally_ know who they really were. Normally, the prospect would have made him ecstatic, but under the circumstances, he could only feel anxious. What if it ruined everything? What if she was disappointed by him? Or worse, what if he was disappointed by her? What if revealing their identities took away all the mystery and intrigue of their relationship?

 

He sighed and it didn’t escape Ladybug’s notice. They reached the bottom of the stairs and she turned to look at him.

 

“Chat Noir?” she asked, her eyes kind with worry. Despite his whirlwind feelings, he gave her an encouraging smile.

 

“Yes, my Lady?” he asked. She crossed her arms and looked down at the ground.

 

“What should we do?” she asked and he took a deep breath in.

 

“ _Buginette_ , you’re the one with all the brilliant ideas, remember? I just carry them out and look good doing it” he said with a mischievous smile. To his relief, she giggled.

 

“ _Minou_ , this is serious” she said, still smiling.

 

“I know, I know. Well, I guess we should look at this sensibly,” he said as he considered their options, “We want to stop Le Papillion quickly, yes? It may bring one of us pain knowing someone we’re very close to has been doing such horrible things, but I’m sure it will become known to us no matter how long we put it off for. Perhaps we should just deal with it all quickly, rather than drag it out”

 

“You have a point, _Minou_ , but if we know each other’s identities, I worry our loved ones could be put in danger” Ladybug said, the fear evident in her eyes. Chat Noir wanted so badly to hold her and to erase her fear. He knew that she would not appreciate his advances, so he restrained himself.

 

“Ladybug, I would never give away your identity. After all we’ve been through together, please trust that I would do everything in my power to keep you and the ones you love safe” Chat Noir said, his paw on his heart. Ladybug looked taken aback by his sincerity.

 

“Chat Noir, of course I trust you. I don’t trust myself. What if you’re in danger and I call out your real name and then your family is targeted? What if we get too close and we get reckless?” she asked. Chat Noir took her hand, her anxieties suddenly dissolving his own.

 

“Ladybug, I know you well enough to know you’ll only become a better superhero as time goes on, not a worse one. We always knew it was a risk being superheroes, but it’s a greater risk _not_ to. Think of all the people you’ve saved! They would have been hurt or worse if you weren’t there. Plus, if we stop Le Papillion, Paris will be safe, right?” he said. Ladybug put her other hand over his and gave it a reassuring squeeze.  

 

“You’re right. There’s nothing we can’t handle together” she said smiling and closing her eyes. A blush crept onto Chat Noir’s face.

 

“Yeah! Together!” he sputtered. Ladybug released his hand.

 

“Alright, _Minou_ , how do we do this?” she asked, suddenly acting much more like herself.

 

“Huh? Do what?” he asked. She rolled her eyes.

 

“ _Reveal ourselves_. Should we just revert back now?” she asked.

 

“No! Absolutely not! This is a very special occasion, my Lady. A dirty, old hotel simply will not do!” he said. Ladybug sighed.

 

“Where then?” Ladybug asked. Chat Noir thought for a moment and then smiled wide at an incoming idea.

 

“Why, atop the Eiffel Tower at midnight, of course” he said.

 

“ _Minou_ , don’t you think that’s a little too dramatic?” she asked with suspicion.

 

“My Lady, of course! What better place to declare my undying devotion?” he asked with a smirk. She smiled and shook her head.

 

“Fine, _Minou_ , but don’t be depressed when I reject you” she said, poking his shoulder.

 

“Ah, but _Buginette_ , you’re the one who will become _cat_ -atonic when you see my handsome face” he said.

 

“We’ll see about that. Alright, I’ll see you tonight Chat Noir!” She said with a wave and then quickly leapt out of an open window. Chat Noir stared after her for awhile, his heart heavy. He let out a sigh. He wasn’t as confident as he let on. He was terrified that seeing the real Chat Noir would squash any real potential of her coming to love him.

 

“ _No, you have to stay positive_ ” he scolded himself. There was no point in assuming. He took a deep breath in and grabbed his staff. He jumped out of the same window as Ladybug and thoughts of the girl behind the mask danced in his head as he raced home.

 

* * *

 

Plagg was eating a heavy helping of Camembert as Adrien tore apart his own closet. Thousands of dollars’ worth of designer clothes and not a single thing seemed appropriate to meeting the love of his life for the very first time.

 

“Plagg! What do I do?! I can’t find anything!” Adrien asked frantically. Plagg continued to eat his Camembert, uninterested.

 

“Whatever is fine” Plagg said. Adrien stepped out of his closet to face the Kwami sitting on his couch.

 

“’Whatever’ is _not_ fine, Plagg! This is the first time Ladybug will see me. You don’t get a second chance at a first impression” Adrien said as he furrowed his eyebrows so tight he started to feel a headache coming on. Plagg sighed and floated up to Adrien’s face.

 

“I don’t know who Ladybug really is, but I can tell you she won’t judge you on what you’re wearing. Would you love her if she cared about such petty things?” Plagg asked. Adrien looked down.

 

“No”

 

“No. Just be yourself” the Kwami advised. Adrien considered him and then looked at his own hands.

 

“But that’s just it Plagg. Who is ‘myself’? Am I Adrien Agreste, model and son of Gabriel Agreste? Or am I Chat Noir, protector of Paris?” he asked and his chest tightened. What part of himself should he be with Ladybug? Who was who? What was real and what was the façade?

 

Plagg pressed a little paw on Adrien’s cheek.

 

“Adrien, you’re _both_. Chat Noir and Adrien, there’s no difference. Different sides of the same coin, maybe, but still the same coin. Plus, Ladybug is just like you. She has a side you’ve never seen either. She’ll understand you, just as you’ll understand her” Plagg said. Adrien took two fingers and gently stroked the top of Plagg’s head.

 

“Thank you, Plagg. You’re right” Adrien said and then ran back to his closet. He grabbed a black button-down shirt and put it on. He rolled the sleeves up to his elbow and straightened the color. He kept his same jeans and tennis shoes. He looked at himself in the mirror on the closet door. Simple, but still a little more formal than his every day wear, just enough to show this was a special occasion. He thought if he wore black, Ladybug may be less shocked than if he wore a lighter color. You know, just a little.

 

Adrien grabbed his phone from his pocket and looked at the time:

 

**23:32**

 

He gasped. It was so close. He ran back into his room and addressed Plagg.

 

“Plagg, we need to go!” Adrien said, his voice slightly shaky. As the time approached, he felt increasingly like a bag of nerves. His stomach was doing back-flips on a continuous loop and his heart felt like it might give out if it didn’t stop beating so fast. Plagg floated near him again.

 

“Okay, are you ready?” Plagg asked. Adrien took a deep breath and straightened his back.

 

“Yeah, I’m ready,” he said with a smile, “Plagg! Transform me!”

 

* * *

 

The cool night air was a welcome relief to Chat Noir’s nerves, but his heart rate increased as he got closer and closer to the Eiffel Tower. Ladybug would surely be the death of him at this point.

 

By the time he reached the top of the tower, Chat Noir’s hands were shaking. He just couldn’t calm himself down.

 

 _Ah, of course, I got here first_ , he thought, lamenting that he had to spend another five or so minutes fretting by himself. He went over to the railing and looked out at Paris. It truly was a beautiful city at night. Streets lamps glistened like stars and the inky-black sky covered the city like a warm blanket. He had chosen his spot well.

 

“ _Minou_ , did we really have to meet so late? This is cutting into my beauty sleep”

 

Chat Noir spun around and saw Ladybug smiling at him.

 

 _She’s here_ , he thought and his heart pounded harder than ever before.

 

“Ladybug! Yes! That way no one would see us!” Adrien said, a little louder than what was necessary. Ladybug, surprised by the fact he didn’t attempt a joke at “beauty sleep”, approached him.

 

“Ah, Chat Noir, are you nervous?” she asked.

 

“Huh? Me? Nervous? Never!” he said as he dropped his staff, but quickly recovered and caught it. Ladybug giggled and he sighed, “Ah, maybe a little”

 

“It’s okay. I am too” she confessed.

 

“There’s no reason to be. It’s really no big deal!”

“Y-yeah!”

 

“We should just get it over with” Chat Noir suggested.

 

“Chat Noir, I don’t know…”

 

“Oh, no! I did not spend the past eight hours on the verge of vomiting for us _not_ to go through with this!” Chat Noir said.

 

“I know! I know. I don’t know why I’m so scared”

 

Then, Chat Noir had an idea. He offered his fist with the pinky finger extended.

 

“Well, then let’s make a promise. Let’s promise that no matter who we are, we’ll always be partners, and we’ll always be friends, and we’ll always be there for each other. No matter _what_. Deal?” Chat Noir asked. Ladybug looked at his pinky finger for a couple of seconds and then at him. A small smile crept onto her face as she interlocked her pinky finger with his.

 

“It’s a promise” she said. Suddenly, Chat Noir felt calm. It was all going to be okay.

 

“Ladies first” he said, taking back his hand.

 

“No, no, no! You first! I insist!” she said.

 

“But, _ladies first_ ” Chat Noir shot back, now less calm. Ladybug sighed.

 

“Okay, let’s do it together” she suggested.

 

“On the count of three?”

 

She nodded. They took an inhale together.

 

“ _Three_ ”

 

“ _Two_ ”

 

“ _One_ ”

 

Together, they jumped into the unknown. Chat Noir felt his alter ego fade away as Adrien Agreste appeared. The de-transformation was complete, but he kept his eyes shut for the briefest of moments, just enough to gather the courage to open them.

 

He let out the breath he’d been holding and dared to open his eyes.

 

Two sapphire eyes stared back at him in shocked wonder. They were his Lady’s eyes and for the briefest of moments, he thought she hadn’t transformed at all, but then he noticed the bare skin where her mask should be. He took in her face and realized, perhaps a little slowly, that he knew that face. He knew that face far better than he ever imagined he would.

 

That face belonged to _Marinette Dupain-Cheng_.

 

_Marinette Dupain-Cheng?_

_Marinette Dupain-Cheng._

_Marinette._

Of course. _Of course_ , it was Marinette. He was a fool for not figuring it out sooner. She was always late to class on days he was, she was never around when an Akuma attacked, and how could he have missed those _eyes_?

 

_Marinette Dupain-Cheng._

Adrien looked at her in stunned silence for God knows how long, but she did the same. He almost forgot that he was just as exposed as she and, when he remembered, he suddenly felt naked. What was she thinking?

 

She looked stunned. She stared at him like it was absolutely improbable that he should exist, yet here he was, existing.

 

“Marinette Dupain-Cheng” he said, her name dripping out of his mouth like it was the only name it was ever supposed to say. Hearing her name seemed to break her out of her stupor and her hands raised to her cheeks. A searing red blush also rose to them and she was suddenly mortified.

 

“Aaaaaah! Adrien Agreste?! Chat Noir is Adrien Agreste?! Oh no! Oooooh!” she said, starting to panic. Adrien was torn between being elated that Ladybug had said his real name twice or being heart-broken that she was distressed by who he was.

 

“Marinette? Is it _bad_ that I am Adrien Agreste?” he asked and Marinette looked at him. Adrien worried she was on the verge of tears.

 

“No! Of course, not! I’ve just been so-uh, well _rude_ to you” she said and Adrien laughed.

 

“That’s what you’re worried about? I like it when you tease me. It makes me feel like a human being instead of just Gabriel Agreste’s son. It’s one of the reasons I li-” he paused, not quite ready to confess that yet, “I don’t want you to treat me differently now that you know who I am without the mask”

 

Marinette looked at him with wide-eyed wonder again. He can’t believe he never noticed how beautiful her eyes were.

 

 _Marinette Dupain-Cheng_ , he thought for the hundredth time, _Ladybug is Marinette Dupain-Cheng_.

 

“You were Chat Noir? The whole time? But you’re so different” she said.

 

“I could say the same about you, _my Lady_. Since when has Ladybug been shy?” he asked. Hearing Adrien refer to her as “my Lady” seemed to send a bolt of lightening through her.

 

“Well, I’m not really shy. I just get shy _sometimes_ ”

 

“I understand. I’m like that too. I keep appearances well as Adrien Agreste, but I feel much more like myself as Chat Noir” he said and he worried this wasn’t the answer she wanted.

 

“ _Minou_ , it’s really you?” she asked, and she blushed as she used her nickname for Chat Noir.

 

“Yes, it’s me” he said and he extended his hand, “It’s nice to meet you, _Marinette_ ”

 

She took it with a warm smile and Adrien felt his heart pound like thunder.

 

“It’s nice to meet you too, Adrien”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Woohoo! They met. Now they’re going to be really confused by their Feelings™. Such is life lol. 
> 
> I had the day off today and decided and do an update for this since you guys are like…crazy awesome. I’ve never gotten such a response from a fic before. I woke up this morning with like 42 e-mails in my inbox haha. Thank you guys so much! Comments and reviews keep me going so thanks a lot!
> 
> A guest said I should try poetry and like dude, thanks. That’s super nice of you and I have dabbled a bit! I’m mostly just a sentimental nerd so.
> 
> The next chapter is going to be good and angsty and I make no apologies.


	3. Rain

**Yin and Yang**

**Chapter 3**

Marinette was lying in her bed as she clutched her pillow tightly to her chest. It was two in the morning, yet she couldn’t sleep. Her mind was swimming with interchangeable images of Adrien and Chat Noir.

 

She glanced over at the wall next to her desk. Through the darkness she could just make out the pictures if Adrien she had put there. Heat raised to her cheeks and she buried her face in her pillow. The quiet of her bedroom made it impossible to silence her mind.

 

Adrien Agreste was Chat noir. Adrien. Agreste. _Adrien Agreste_.

 

His name played through her mind like a skipping record and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t pick up the needle. She shifted to lay on her back while her pillow rested on her stomach and her right arm rested against her forehead.

 

How could Chat Noir be Adrien Agreste? Or, better yet, how did she never realize? It all made sense now. She should have known when he inexplicably _knew_ that Volpina hadn’t actually captured Adrien from his mansion. There were other clues too: she’d never seen them in the same room together, he was never around when an Akuma was attacking, and Alya even said that they kind of looked alike! It all came together so neatly, but still, Marinette couldn’t wrap her head around it.

 

Adrien Agreste was Chat Noir? Chat Noir was Adrien Agreste? She couldn’t make it make sense in her mind. Adrien and Chat Noir both held very different, separate places in her heart. How in the world was she expected to _combine_ them? They were on two completely different planes of existence. Even the way they treated her-

 

A strong wave of blood rose to her cheeks.

 

 _Chat Noir is always_ flirting _with me!_ She thought. He was always calling her “my Lady” and saying they were “made for each other”, or whatever. He’d even find subtle ways to touch her when he could. Sometimes he would wrap his arm around her shoulders or find an excuse to grab her hand. He was always encouraging affection, but it was never really a big deal. Marinette always kind of took it for a joke. After all, Chat Noir flirted with her as Marinette before he knew she was Ladybug. Yeah, it must have just been his way of playing around. What would she have done if she _knew_ though? She was always a bumbling idiot around Adrien, so him flirting, even just _play_ flirting, probably would have made her combust. She felt near explosion just remembering all the little intimate moments she shared with Chat Noir. If she would have known, it would have made her come undone.

 

But then, what if Chat Noir’s flirting wasn’t a joke? Marinette quickly shook that thought from her head. No, it was _definitely_ a joke. It’s not like it was uncommon for young men to do that sort of thing. He probably thought it would be bad for his image as Adrien Agreste, but as Chat Noir he was free to cut loose and have a little fun. He was just having _fun_. He was enjoying his teen years because as Adrien Agreste he didn’t have that luxury. Either way, she just couldn’t accept that someone like him could possibly have real feelings for someone like her.

 

Then, a little (not little at all) intimate moment came to the forefront of her memory. If she was blushing before, then she was full on flushed now. A while back, on Valentine’s day, _she had kissed him_. He was under an Akuma’s spell and in order to break it, she kissed him. _She kissed Adrien Agreste_.

 

Marinette’s hands flew to her face and she began to writhe due to the madness of it all. Butterflies fluttered all over he chest and belly as she continued to take in that she had kissed her crush, and never even knew it. A large part of her was elated and was walking on sunshine, but another part of her was sinking in quicksand.

 

The problem was: Marinette loved _Adrien_. Not Chat Noir. Adrien.

 

Adrien had said he was much more like Chat Noir deep down. Did that mean that the boy she loved didn’t exist? That Chat Noir was the only real one of the two? And, if that were the case, did she still love him? Or were all her feelings and wishes meaningless?

 

She thought of Adrien. She thought of all the little details about his existence that made her love him. What was it, specifically, that she loved? Well, she loved his hair and the way it shined in the sun. She loved his green eyes and how they were soft, but vibrant. She loved how graceful his figure was and how he could fill a room with his presence just by walking in, like a beacon of light.

 

 _Those things are all true of Chat Noir though,_ she thought. His hair and figure were both the same and she’d never known Chat Noir’s eye color anyway.

 

If she was honest, it wasn’t really his physical features that mattered. Adrien was kind, gentle, humble, and a real class act. Chat Noir, on the other hand, was arrogant, sly, and an incurable flirt. She couldn’t exactly dispute Chat Noir’s kindness though. How many times had he given her a pep talk? Or compliment her on a job well done? No, Chat Noir was kind. Of that, she was certain.   

 

Her mind continued to wander and then landed on a new memory. This time it was that day in the rain. The first day Adrien came to school. The first day she began having feelings for him. He’d let her borrow his umbrella while he confessed he tried to take the gum off her seat from before. Such a sweet, kind gesture. It was so easy to fall for him then.

 

Another memory flashed before her. Valentine’s day. Heartbreaker was shooting anti-love arrows and Chat Noir had purposefully gotten into the arrow’s way so it wouldn’t hit her. He sacrificed himself for her. Whether it was keeping her from getting wet or sparing her from hateful weapons, Chat Noir/Adrien was always putting her before himself. Her cheeks colored again. Maybe they weren’t so different. Maybe Chat Noir just brought out his confidence and playfulness. Maybe, Marinette fell in love with Adrien and Chat Noir’s core. Maybe, the other stuff didn’t matter too much. Maybe.

 

At this, Marinette felt her eyelids get heavy and her body slowly began to let her fall asleep. Her dreams were full of green eyes and gentle embraces.

 

* * *

 

They had decided to meet in front of Master Fu’s building the next day. They both agreed it would be best to take down Le Papillion as fast as possible and only Master Fu had the intel they needed. The sky was a dreary grey color and threatened rain. She cursed herself for not not bringing an umbrella. She hoped the meeting wouldn’t take too long and she could beat the rain home.

 

Adrien was leaning against the brick wall of the abandoned hotel when Marinette arrived. He hadn’t noticed her at first and she took the opportunity to take him in. He was as handsome as ever as his eyes looked off somewhere distance.

 

 _He must have a lot on his mind_ , she thought, _probably as much as I do_.

 

Marinette walked closer until Adrien noticed her approaching and gave her a thousand-watt smile. Her heart stopped. How was she supposed to get used to this? She did her best to maintain a calm demeanor and smiled back.

 

“Good afternoon, my Lady—er, Marinette, I mean, or—,” he laughed, and Marinette couldn’t remember ever hearing a sound as pleasant, “this is so weird. I don’t know what’s normal any more. What do I even call you?”

 

“I think ‘Marinette’ for when I’m Marinette is probably a good idea. We don’t want any one to get the wrong idea if they hear you calling me ‘my lady’ all the time” she said with a smile.

 

“Ah, I see your point. Oh well, it won’t stop me from calling you that when we’re alone together” Adrien said lightly. Marinette had to hide her blush.

 

“Um, so, are you ready?” she asked, recovering.

 

“Huh? Oh, you mean to find out someone I care about is potentially hurting people all over Paris?” he asked.

 

“Yes” she said weakly. That must have been what he was thinking about when she found him. He smiled at her.

 

“No, I’m not ready, but I don’t think I ever will be. How about you?” he asked.

 

“Pretty much the same. No matter what it is, we’ll get through it Adrien. I promise” she said, trying to ease his anxieties a little. He put a hand on her shoulder.

 

“Thanks Marinette” he said and his hand was burning her.

 

“O-of course! Well, uh, we should go” she said and walked towards the front entrance of Master Fu’s apartment. Adrien followed her.

 

They walked inside and followed the hallway down until they came to the old man’s door. Marinette took a deep breath in and knocked.

 

“Come in!” said a voice from inside and they obeyed.

 

Upon their entrance, Master Fu’s eyes widened, but quickly softened as he smiled.

 

“So, I see you two have met” he said. Adrien scratched the back of his neck and Marinette examined her fingernails.

 

“Well, yes,” Adrien said, “we thought it would be best after what you said yesterday”

 

“I see. Please, sit down,” he said as he went to the kitchen to grab them tea. He stopped himself short at his window, “ah, April showers”

 

Marinette craned her neck from her seat and saw that droplets of rain fall cascade against Master Fu’s window. She sighed. It didn’t look like she was going to out run the rain this time.

 

Once Master Fu had set them up with warm tea, he seated himself across from them. Wayzz fluttered around the room and then gracefully landed on Master Fu’s shoulder.

 

“So, what brings you to my humble abode?” he asked. Marinette looked at Adrien who turned to her as well. Their eyes locked and Adrien nodded his silent consent.

 

“Master Fu, we wanted—we were _hoping_ that you would tell us who Le Papillion is, so we could stop him, sir” Marinette said with her back straight and her eyes forward. Master Fu’s countenance changed. The black cloud from yesterday seemed to loom over him once again. He looked down and then looked out his window.

 

“A fitting day for rain…” he said.

 

“Master” Wayzz said as he laid a tiny paw on his master’s cheek. The Great Guardian gave Wayzz a sad smile and then took a deep breath in.

 

“In order to understand Le Papillion, you must understand Peacock” he said.

 

“Peacock?” Marinette asked.

 

“A Miraculous. A powerful one. Her power is based in distraction. In addition to being stronger and agiler than a normal human, she also has the power to use mirrors. They confuse and trap her opponents, then once she captures them in her mirrors, she releases them in order for Ladybug to purify the Akuma. She is the only one with the power to release the opponent from within the mirror. Her capture ability, or ‘Mirror, Mirror’, is similar to ‘Cataclysm’ and ‘Lucky Charm’ in that it causes her Miraculous power to run out within the next five minutes.

 

“Something you must understand, is that there are other evils out there besides Akuma and it is inevitable that you will face those evils. Two years ago, one such evil called an ‘Oni’ came to a small town in Italy. It was destroying shops, possessing people, and bringing ruin to the entire town. Peacock happened to be in the country at the time with her husband, and being the kind, noble woman that she was, she went to fight the Oni.

 

“It was a terrible fight. The Oni was strong and elusive. It was eight feet tall, but had no solid form. The villagers described it as a smoke creature with glaring red eyes and rows of sharp teeth. They fought tirelessly, but Peacock couldn’t trap him. Eventually, the Oni got the upper hand and pinned her down. Thinking quickly, she-she—” Master Fu said, suddenly choking on his words.

 

“It’s okay,” Marinette said sweetly. Master Fu looked up at her and took a deep breath in.

 

“She surrounded the Oni _and_ herself with her mirrors, then trapped them both with her powers. They disappeared into the mirrors and the only thing left of either of them was Peacock’s Miraculous: a hairclip” he said solemnly.

 

“That’s awful!” Marinette said. Adrien remained silent.

 

“Truly. Only Peacock can release those whom she has trapped and she can’t release herself from within”

 

“Can’t you assign the hairclip to someone else, and then _they_ release her?” Marinette asked.

 

“I tried, but the Miraculous has seized to respond. My theory is that Peacock is still attached to her hairclip, and can no longer be passed on until she is released”

 

“What of her husband?” Adrien asked, his voice darker than Marinette had ever heard it. Master Fu looked at him with sad eyes.

 

“He was grief stricken. He had come to me after the event and begged for a Miraculous that might help him get his wife back. I took pity on him and granted him Nooroo, the Kwami that resides over Le Papillion. I thought it would be a good way for him to gain information and find a way to get her out of the hair clip. He would turn scholars into super heroes so they could uncover information regarding Miraculouses quickly, but he began overworking them. He sometimes wouldn’t let them sleep for more than a couple hours at a time and would only allow them to eat once a day. I begged him to stop his tyranny, but he was far to overcome with grief to listen to anything I said. Eventually, he found out about the ancient Miraculous tome,” Master Fu gestured to the book Marinette had brought to him the day before, “He used his powers to steal it, and began to fixate on a certain _technique_ found in the book”

 

“What do you mean?” Marinette asked.

 

“The Ladybug and Chat Noir Miraculouses are the most powerful. They represent life and death, light and dark, creation and destruction. _Balance_. One can not exist without the other. Normally, they are given to two separate people, but it _is_ possible to combine them. Once combined, they create an all-powerful human being. Their power knows no bounds. It is one of my duties as the Great Guardian to make sure that only the purest of souls gains this power, or that it never exists at all. In the wrong hands, the power could destroy the world”

 

“Would this being be able to bring back Peacock?” Adrien asked.

 

“I-I believe they would, but it’s too great of a power. I have to make sure it’s the _right_ person and I still haven’t met that person. Le Papillion came to me with the same question. He demanded that I give him the Ladybug and Chat Noir Miraculouses, but I refused, knowing he was not worthy of such immense power. He was angry and attacked me, but I escaped. That’s when I decided I needed to give the Miraculouses out. Then I found you two” He said with a small smile. Marinette returned it, but Adrien’s face was blank.

 

“So that’s why he wants our Miraculouses? To save his wife? That’s why he’s attacking Paris?” Marinette asked.

“I’m afraid so” Master Fu said.

 

“That’s so sad” Marinette said and then ventured a look at Adrien. He was looking down at his lap and clenching his fists. He might have even been shaking slightly.

 

“Adrien-”

 

“His name” Adrien said. Master Fu looked at him, filled with guilt.

 

“Adrien, I-”

 

“His name! What is it?” Adrien asked more firmly. Master Fu’s brows furrowed and he began to clutch his fists as well.

 

“Le Papillion is-he’s-”

 

“Who!?”

 

“Gabriel Agreste. Adrien, I’m so sorry-” Master Fu said, his eyes now glossy with fresh tears. Marinette gasped and put her hands to her mouth. Adrien was already on his way out the door.

 

“Wait! Adrien!” Marinette called, but he had already run out. Marinette looked back at Master Fu, who seemed miserable and then back at the door Adrien left out.

 

“Tikki, transform me!” she said and Tikki obeyed.

 

* * *

 

The rain had escalated from a drizzle to a downpour during the time they had listened to Master Fu’s story. Ladybug was scaling all the nearby buildings looking for a sign of Adrien.

 

 _He can’t have gotten far_ , she thought. Then, by a stroke of luck, she saw a flash of black on a roof in the distance. She wasted no time in chasing after it. After a couple of swings, she found herself on top of a rooftop with a garden. There were roses and chrysanthemums everywhere, and a pretty paved path along the flora. She found Adrien situated on his knees in front of a bush that had yellow flowers growing from it that she’d never seen before. He had released his transformation and was looking at the flowers like they were a picture of a loved one. There was a sadness in him that she had never seen before.

 

She released her own transformation, not wanting to speak to him with a mask on. She walked slowly towards him, unsure of what to do or say.

 

“They’re called Potentilla Neumanianna” he said without turning to face her.

 

“Huh?”

 

“Potentilla Neumanianna. They were my mom’s favorite. This is a community garden and we decided to plant them here a week before her and dad went on a business trip to Italy” Adrien said, choking on the word “Italy”.

 

“Oh, Adrien” she said as she came to kneel beside him. She put a hand on his back, hoping to alleviate even the smallest bit of his pain. Tears tracks lined his cheeks and it took all her strength not to cry as well.

 

“I can’t do this Marinette. I can’t fight him,” he said, a fresh tear rolling down his cheek.

 

“We’ll find a way”

 

“How? How am I supposed to go back home and pretend everything is fine? How am I going to tell him to stop? I miss her too, Marinette, I miss her too,” Adrien said, his shoulders now shaking with sobs he was trying desperately to control. Thunder clapped and the rain came down even harder.

 

Marinette, unable to control her impulses, took Adrien’s cheeks in her hands, forcing him to look at her.

 

“Adrien, listen to me. We are going to save her. I promise. I promise you, we will” she said. Adrien avoided her stare.

 

“You don’t know-”

 

“I do! I do because there is _nothing_ we can’t do together. Maybe you can be all-powerful if you were my earrings and your ring, but that’s nothing compared to _us_. Adrien, we can do this. I believe in us. I believe in you” she said, a tear escaping her.

 

He stared at her. Really stared at her. Like it was the first time ever _seeing_ her. She couldn’t move, couldn’t blink. All she could do was stare right back at those iridescent, sad green eyes. He took a hand and placed it on one of hers. Instinctively, she moved that hand from his cheek to his shoulder, while his hand gently grazed her forearm. Then, something in his eyes changed. They went from sad to searching. He straightened his back and, even on their knees, he was still a good half-a-head taller than her. She looked up at him and felt butterflies swarm her tummy and her heart pound in her chest. She was just now realizing how close they were.

 

His eyes changed again. Now they were gentle, but determined. He had made up his mind about something.

 

And he had. For he slowly, ever so slowly, inched his face closer to hers. And she did too. Not exactly by choice, but by instinct. Like a magnet taken in by another one. There was no stopping it.

 

He kissed her. Slow, sweet, and gentle. She moved her arms to wrap around his neck and he moved his hands to her hips. He smelled like coffee and petrichor, and she drunk it in greedily. His lips were soft and wet, and just so _gentle_. They moved like they might break her.

 

Carefully, their lips separated and Adrien rested his forehead against hers, his eyes closed. He let out a small sigh and his breath brushed against Marinette’s cheeks. Her heart was beating so hard and so fast that she was sure he must have heard it, but she didn’t care. All that mattered was him.

 

And there they were, two teenagers with the world on their shoulders, holding each other in the rain, neither of them wanting to let go.    

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here’s chapter three. I hope you enjoyed it. So, after writing this chapter, it might have to be longer than four chapters. I really dug myself into a hole lol. Aw well, I like the way this worked out. 
> 
> Thank you so much for reading and for any and all comments, kudos, and bookmarks. I really love hearing your thoughts! They really motivate me :) so thank you!

**Author's Note:**

> AN: Yay! My first fic for Miraculous Ladybug is here! I totally planned on being a casual ML fan, but then it took over my life woops. 
> 
> Every time I start typing “Chat Noir” I accidently type “Chair” and I’m over it. 
> 
> When Chat Noir meets the guy who gave him his Miraculous he’s going to become an emotional mess and you can’t tell me otherwise fight me
> 
> Where the hell am I going with this? No idea, but I promise a reveal, angst, and a kiss. Maybe like 3-4 chapters? I also by no means promise steady updates. I’m a grad student working two jobs and an internship. Be kind haha. 
> 
> I also have an unfinished FMA fic and an unfinished Brooklyn 99 fic so… (I’m so eclectic!) 
> 
> Thanks so much for reading! Please leave a comment! I want to know what you think!


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